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Daytona Rolex 24 Victory Goes to Mike Shank Racing

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:06:05 +0000

Traditionally the racing season’s starter event, the Rolex 24 at Daytona celebrated its 50th anniversary with plenty of nail-biting action on the track this past weekend. Mike Shank Racing from Pataskala, Ohio, took the checkered flag in the Daytona Prototype class, breaking NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger’s almost six-year dry spell as he completed the final stint of the race. This was the ninth try at the championship for Mike Shank racing, with other team members being Justin Wilson, Ozz Negri Jr. and John Pew.

With 2 hours and 8 minutes of the race remaining, Allmendinger took the lead in the MSR Ford-Riley, doing battle with defending champion Scott Pruett driving for Ganassi Racing. Allmendinger also managed to outrun Ryan Dalziel in the Starworks car as he headed for the finish line. Although it was Allmendinger who claimed the victory for the team, other team members had made the win possible with their driving skills earlier in the race. In fact, IndyCar driver Justin Wilson turned in the fasted lap of the race. Allmendinger took over from Negri, and had a close shave with Allan McNish in the Starworks car as he banked in turn four and connected bodywork with Allmendinger’s car. However, the latter was undeterred and continued in his pursuit for first place. With 19 minutes left of the race, and the Shank team enjoying a lead of 11 seconds, a GT car sliding into an inside wall caused some anxiety. Fortunately for the leading cars there was no call for a full course caution, which would have resulted in a bunched up field for the final sprint and Allmendinger crossed the finish line with a 5.198 second lead over second-place Ryan Dalziel in the Ford-powered Starworks car.

As runner-up in the 2011 Grand-Am championship, SunTrust Racing was well prepared for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but unexpected engine trouble saw driver Max Angelelli enter the pits only 25 minutes into the race. The car entered the race five minutes later, only to return shortly after to be declared out of the race. Team owner, Wayne Taylor, noted that it was the first time they have had engine trouble since using Chevrolet, and as the race began their only concern was the traffic, the engine trouble had caught the team by surprise. Angelelli had started the race in second place, and will be awarded some points for completing 30 minutes of the race. While it was a disappointing start for SunTrust Racing, the season has just begun and anything can happen in the months ahead.

Daytona 500

Editor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:42:33 +0000

The popular Daytona 500 will see 43 NASCAR drivers competing in this highly prestigious event. A highlight this year will be the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds performing a thrilling fly-over. The race is heald annually anc covers a distance of 500 miles, consisting of 200 laps.

Date: 26 February 2012
Time: 1 PM
Venue: Daytona International Speedway
City: Daytona Beach
State: Florida
Country: United States of America

Formula One Australian Grand Prix 2012

Editor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:30:34 +0000

The 2012 Formula One season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix on 18 March. Practice sessions begin on Friday, 16 March. This is followed by the Qualifying round on Saturday, 17 March. The race consists of 58 laps around a 5.303 km circuit, totalling 307.574 km.

Date: 18 March 2012
Time: 17:00
Venue: Albert Park
City: Melbourne
Country: Australia

NASCAR Advocates Return to Pack Racing

Editor — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:22:41 +0000

Two-car tandem racing has become a feature at Daytona and Talladega, with drivers working together to gain the highest speed possible around the track. In this two-car collaboration the trailing driver pushes the lead car around the track. Due to the position of the cars, the driver doing the pushing has a limited view of the road ahead and relies on the leader to make the right moves. However, the close proximity of the two cars can lead to overheating, and so the pusher needs to trade places with the leader from time to time. The temporary breaking of the pusher-leader partnership causes a dramatic reduction in speed for both cars and is potentially hazardous.

Three days of testing at Daytona saw NASCAR trying to break this two-car tandem racing pattern, and revert to the pack racing format that auto racing fans enjoy the most. During the testing, Kyle Busch clocked a 205.813 mph in a pack racing format, while Regan Smith and Kurt Busch formed a two-car tandem, with Kurt Busch clocking an incredible time of 206.058 mph.

Bearing in mind that NASCAR has traditionally been against exceeding speeds of 200 mph, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon reportedly queried the high speeds being achieved on the track, and was assured by NASCAR officials that they have no problem with the new record speeds. Nevertheless, with pack racing bringing in the fans, in November last year NASCAR Chairman Brian France made it clear that he wants drivers to move away from two-car tandem racing, so in addition to a series of changes to rules governing aerodynamics of racing cars, driver-to-driver communications over their scanners has been banned.

While a number of changes have been made during testing, with drivers and their teams kept informed all along the way, it is very likely that more changes will be made before the much anticipated Speedweeks begin, with the iconic Daytona 500 taking place on February 26. NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton noted that while there may be some loose ends to tie up as they make final plans for Speedweeks, and was reported as saying that “everything is going according to plan.”

O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals

Editor — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:52:35 +0000

The NHRA Full Throttle Series kicks off in 2012 with the 52nd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, which is presented by Super Start Batteries. The exciting season opener will see new cars, teams, drivers and sponsors hitting the track.

Date: 9 to 12 February 2012
Venue: Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
City: Pomona
State: California
Country: United States of America

Tony Stewart on Winning Streak

Editor — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:55:44 +0000

Tony Stewart continued his winning streak by taking the checkered flag at the 14th annual Rumble in Fort Wayne 50-lap midget car event on New Year’s Eve. Driving the twenty-year old VW-powered Munchkin, Stewart completed the race at 11:04 pm, later noting that the car in which he had claimed seven victories was easy to work with and fun to drive. Stewart ended the year on a high note and added to his list of achievements which include being the fast qualifier in his past ten races, and winning nine times in fourteen career starts.

Although it had an unpromising start, 2011 turned out to be an exciting year for both Stewart and his fans as he claimed his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, with his previous two title wins being in 2002 and 2005. The final race of the NASCAR season turned into a nail-biting duel between Edwards and Stewart, with Stewart crossing the finish line in first place and claiming the championship title.

In a post-race interview, 40-year old Stewart was reported as saying that it was the first time he had raced on New Year’s Eve, and that it was a great way to have finished the year. He also noted that it would be hard to keep up his winning streak, but he anticipates that it will be a lot of fun trying.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Tony Stewart has revealed that he will be part of a four-car “Team of Champions”, along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bryan Clauson and Jake Blackhurst, to participate in the 26th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals set to start on 10 January. Driving the Chevrolet Performance Parts Sponsored No. 14 Chevrolet/Spike, which he has dubbed “Back in Black”, Stewart intends to challenge the Esslinger/Ford dominated event. Clauson will be driving a No. 39c Essingler/Spike Indycar/Indy 500 race car, while Stenhouse Jr. will be competing in a No. 39a Esslinger/Spike, and Blackhurst will be driving a No. 39b Esslinger/Spike Kitchen Cooked entry.

Cavallino Classic 2012

Editor — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:32:30 +0000

The 21st Annual Palm Beach Cavallino Classic is a convention for Ferrari enthusiasts that sees some 400 of these remarkable cars coming to Palm Beach. A highlight of the event is the Floriday Trophy, which is a two day track meet that will be held at Palm Beach International Raceway. The 19th of January will feature the Tour of Palm Beach, with some 80 classic Ferraris traveling the roads of Palm Beach. On 21 January is the Concorso d’Eleganza during which the Ferrari’s are jusdged in various classes and categories. Along with these scheduled events are a number of other receptions and gatherings.

Dates: 17 to 22 January 2012
City: Palm Beach
State: Florida
Country: United States of America

SFHR New Speedway Headquarters in the Pipeline

Editor — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:07:53 +0000

With this year’s auto racing season at an end, the auto racing industry will be looking forward to 2012, and making plans to promote this exciting sport despite the gloomy outlook for the U.S. economy. The recent ceremonial ground-breaking for the new Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing headquarters to be built on Speedway’s main street, can be seen as a vote of confidence that auto racing will maintain its place as one of the country’s most popular sports. With a budget of $2.5 million, the new headquarters is a collaborative effort with the Speedway Redevelopment Commission (SRC) and will feature shop and office space for the race team, gathering all the aspects of running a winning team – such as engineering, machine shop, service, paint and composites – under one roof.

The new SFHR headquarters has the IndyCar construction company, Dallara Automobili, as its neighbor – taking delivery of their new race cars will not present any challenges. Engineer Gian Paolo Dallara was recently presented the John Bolster Award for his achievements in the sport of auto racing, and his company will be supplying their new DW12 to fifteen IndyCar teams, including SFHR.

Sarah Fisher made a name for herself in US motorsport by becoming the first, and only, female team owner, as well as being the youngest owner in the IZOD IndyCar Series. She was also the first female team owner to win a race in the IZOD IndyCar Series. At the age of 19, Sarah made history by becoming the youngest female to compete in the Indianapolis 500, making her the third female ever to compete in the iconic race. In that same year, 2000, her third place finish at the Kentucky Speedway made her the first female to stand on the podium. By taking second place at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sarah became the first female to finish as a runner-up in a major-league open-wheel race. These are just some of the accomplishments of this talented driver who has made auto racing her career. The new headquarters for her joint venture with Willis “Wink” Hartman, is the fulfillment of another of Sarah Fisher’s goals.

The 38,000 square foot building will include a home-style kitchen and a retail gift shop, with the latter featuring an area for fans where they will have the opportunity to interact with members of the SFHR team. Conference facilities will provide a convenient venue for meetings with sponsors, while a state-of-the art gym will ensure that the team has what it needs for each member to be in peak physical condition, with the added advantage of having the Indianapolis Motor Speedway just a five minute walk away.

4th Annual Fifth Avenue Auto Showcase

Editor — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:09:00 +0000

The 4th Annual Fifth Avenue Auto Showcase is a free to view event that car enthusiasts will really enjoy, showcasing high-performance vehicles, from classics to modern luxury automobiles. This car show combines history with the latest technology. The show is rounded off with the “People’s Choice Award”. Proceeds from the event will benefirt the non-profit Gaslamp Quarter Association’s Gaslamp Quarter Holiday Lighting program.

Date: 14 October 2012
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: 5th Avenue
City: San Diego
State: California
Country: United States of America

8th Annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance

Editor — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:58:52 +0000

The Annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance was introduced in 2010 by the La Jolla Historical Society as the La Jolla MotorCar Classic. The event is set to attract the best cars to this community event. Emcee of the concours will be Keith Martin, who will also be presenting the awards. Before the main show on Sunday there will be a book signing as well as a special guided motor tour of San Diego.

Date: 1 April 2012
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Venue: La Jolla Cove
City: San Diego
State: California
Country: United States of America